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☆ Knockout Meta profit wasn't even the best surprise of the quarter for investors
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Kevin Stankiewicz | In Kevinstankiewicz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

Generative AI, as expected, was a big focus of the earnings call. He also noted the company's advanced virtual assistant, Meta AI, was made fully available in the U.S. by the end of 2023, and the firm is testing more than a dozen other generative AI features. But investors across the tech industry are increasingly wondering when all the spending on generative AI will translate to revenue – and that's no different for Meta. Nevertheless, Li said Meta's suite of generative AI tools for advertisers is its biggest near-term monetization opportunity. Further down the road, Li indicated that business messaging is another compelling opportunity to make money from generative AI.

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg's, Meta, Zuckerberg, Susan Li, Mark Zuckerberg, Li, EssilorLuxottica, Jim Cramer, Ray, Meta's, it's, Jim Cramer's, Jim, Justin Sullivan Organizations: Revenue, LSEG, Meta, Reality Labs, Daily, Facebook, Management, Quest, VR, Apple, Vision, UBS, Pro, CNBC Locations: —, Instagram, U.S, Menlo Park , California

☆ A 61-year-old man sues Macy's, saying he was jailed and assaulted after being falsely identified as a store robber by facial recognition
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Tom Carter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read previewA 61-year-old man is suing Macy's and the parent company of Sunglass Hut over the use of facial recognition tech that mistook him for an armed robber. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. AdvertisementThe use of facial recognition technology in retail stores has come under growing scrutiny in recent years and fuelled fears that it may lead to more cases of mistaken arrests . Macy's and EssilorLuxottica did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, made outside normal working hours.

Persons: —, Macy's, Harvey Murphy Jr, , Murphy, EssilorLuxottica Organizations: Service, Business, Washington Post, Federal Trade Commission Locations: Sunglass, Macy's, Sacramento

☆ Texas man sues Macy’s and Sunglass Hut parent over wrongful arrest linked to facial recognition
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —A Texas man is suing Macy’s and the parent company of Sunglass Hut after the two companies allegedly relied on error-prone facial recognition technology to falsely accuse him of armed robbery. “They were misled by Sunglass Hut and Macy’s and the reason why Murphy was jailed is because of the actions of these companies. In 2020, the American Civil Liberties Union challenged Detroit’s police department over what the group described as the first known wrongful arrest involving facial recognition. Facial recognition concernsFor years, civil liberties and privacy experts have warned of the risks of overly casual facial recognition use or an overreliance on the technology, and the possibility that algorithmic bias could lead to misidentification, racial discrimination or other unintended consequences. The FTC has similarly moved to restrict Instagram-parent Meta from using facial recognition technology, which Meta has challenged in court.

Persons: CNN —, Macy’s, Harvey Murphy Jr, Murphy’s, Murphy, ”, Daniel Dutko, “, EssilorLuxottica didn’t, EssilorLuxottica, Dutko, ” Dutko, Sunglass, “ We’re, they’re, ‘ We’ve, Meta Organizations: CNN, The Washington Post, Houston police, Department of Motor Vehicles, Houston, American Civil Liberties Union, Office, Federal Trade Commission, Aid, FTC Locations: Texas, Sunglass, Harris County, Houston, Sacramento , California, Harris, EssilorLuxottica, Michigan, Detroit

☆ From transparent TVs to ChatGPT-powered pet companions, here’s some of the buzziest tech of CES 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-11 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Here’s a look at some of the buzziest products announced this week:Loona companion robot is the world's first consumer robot equipped with ChatGPT AI technology. From Beijing KEYi Technology Co. Ltd.AI companionsAI companions are one of the biggest trends to emerge from the show this year. Samsung’s buzzy Ballie robot, which was first shown off at CES in 2020, received a refresh. BaracodaAI task robotsBeyond companions, AI has made its way into nearly every appliance and gadget you could think of this year. LG was one of the first leaders in transparent TVs; one of its earlier prototypes impressed the show floor back in 2020.

Persons: it’s, Loona, Rosie, Samsung’s, Dipanjan Chatterjee, ”, Volkwagen, Mercedes Benz, Chatterjee, ” Honda, VinFast, “ There’s, Jon Erensen, EssilorLuxottica, Francesco Milleri, Evie, Steve Jobs, Cook, Christoph Dernbach, “, Jitesh Ubrani, ” Ubrani, CNN’s Peter Valdes, Dapena Organizations: CNN — Tech, Consumer Electronics, Beijing KEYi Technology, ., LG, CES, Forrester Research, Walmart, Nvidia, AMD, Honda, VinFast, Fiat, Samsung, Gartner, Media, Apple Vision, Steve, Apple, IDC, Sony, Qualcomm Locations: Las Vegas, Beijing, USA, Cupertino, Cupertino ., Apple's, United States

☆ After a tough quarter for the global luxury sector, UBS reveals the 3 stocks to buy for 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Ganesh Rao | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Investors looking ahead to 2024 should pick up shares of Hermes , Cartier owner Richemont and Hugo Boss in the luxury goods sector, according to UBS. The Swiss investment bank has a bullish call on those three stocks, though it struck a more cautious tone for the sector. RMS-FR CFR-CH,BOSS-DE YTD line UBS has a price target of 85 euros ($93) a share for Hugo Boss, which points to a 38% upside from the current share price. The Swiss bank also raised its price target for Hermes to 2,216 euros, which is 12% above its current share price. The outlook for the three stocks contrasts with UBS' view that slowing sales momentum and easing pricing power warrant caution on the luxury sector on the whole.

Persons: Cartier, Richemont, Hugo Boss, Zuzanna Pusz, Hermes Organizations: Hermes, UBS, Amundi, CFR, Burberry, EssilorLuxottica, Swatch, Tod's Locations: Swiss

☆ LVMH buys eyewear brand Barton Perreira as it looks to rebound from luxury slowdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Robert Frank | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Barton Perreira sunglasses are displayed during 'A Good Time At Goodman's' held at Goodman's Men's Store in New York City. LVMH is buying luxury eyewear brand Barton Perreira, famed for making James Bond's shades, as it taps into the fast-growing designer sunglass market. LVMH's Thelios eyewear division agreed to acquire the Irvine, Calif.-based Barton Perreira for an undisclosed sum. Barton Perreira was founded in 2007 by Bill Barton and Patty Perreira, after they left Oliver Peoples when it was acquired by Oakley. LVMH is buying luxury eyewear brand Barton Perreira, famed for making James Bond's shades, as it taps into the fast-growing designer sunglass market.

Persons: Barton, James, Barton Perreira, Alessandro Zanardo, LVMH, Louis Vuitton, Celine, Loewe, Berluti, Zanardo, Thelios, Daniel Craig, Joe, Demi Lovato, Sandra Bullock, Ryan Gosling, Barton Perriera, Bill Barton, Patty Perreira, Oliver Peoples Organizations: Irvine, French, maisons, Hollywood, Oakley Locations: New York City, Calif, Asia, maisons, U.S, Europe, Italy

☆ EssilorLuxottica sees 'slight deceleration' in Q3 vs first half
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A logo of EssilorLuxottica exhibition space is displayed at SILMO in Villepinte, near Paris, France September 24, 2022. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 19 (Reuters) - Luxury eyewear maker EssilorLuxottica (ESLX.PA) on Thursday reported third-quarter revenue of 6.3 billion euros ($6.68 billion) with Asia-Pacific sales growth of 11.75% bolstered by China. Shares of luxury goods companies have come under pressure as cash-strapped consumers cut spending on high-end goods, while growth has also been slowing in China. French luxury company LVMH (LVMH.PA) last week reported slower sales growth in the third quarter. EssilorLuxottica reiterated its 2023 target of "mid-single-digit annual revenue growth" from 2022 to 2026 and an operating profit representing 19% to 20% of revenue by the end of that period.

Persons: Benoit Tessier, Ray, Bernstein, EssilorLuxottica, Stéphanie Hamel, Olivier Sorgho, Jane Merriman Organizations: REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Villepinte, Paris, France, Asia, Pacific, China, North America

☆ Meta has Apple to thank for giving its annual VR conference added sizzle this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( Jonathan Vanian | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

The iPhone maker in June announced its Vision Pro mixed-reality headset at an eyepopping price of $3,499 when it goes on sale next year. "There's curiosity for sure with Apple entering the market," said Tom Symonds, CEO of the UK-based VR firm Immerse. Apple CEO Tim Cook stands next to the new Apple Vision Pro headset. At its high price point, the Vision Pro will likely be more of a product for businesses, Seitz said. Initially, the price is too high and the Vision Pro will require users to wear a battery pack, creating an added nuisance during a workout.

Persons: Andrew Bosworth, Josh Edelson, Mark Zuckerberg, it's, Tom Symonds, Meta, Zuckerberg, Tim Cook, Justin Sullivan, Aneesh Kulkarni, Kulkarni, Josette Seitz, Seitz, Gaspar Ferreiro, Apple, Ferreiro, Jeffrey Morin, Morin, Litesport, " Morin, Apple's Organizations: Facebook, Meta, AFP, Getty, VR, Menlo, Apple, Street, Apple Vision, Baltu Technologies, Car Studios, Vision Locations: Menlo Park , California, Web3, billings

Meta's AI initiatives are likely to be a key aspect of how it monetizes products and services going forward, while bringing more users and customers into the AI fold. Whereas Meta's headset is priced for mass-market adoption, Apple's headset is clearly a premium device targeted to those who demand the most cutting-edge technology — such as micro-OLED lenses with eye-tracking capabilities . Similarly, JMP Securities argued that the event "highlights Meta's AI tailwinds," which could "unlock additional advertising budgets with new chat-based customer service." Meanwhile, we expect adoption of Meta's Quest 3 hardware to grow. But the integration of the Meta AI assistant into that platform should ultimately make the glasses a more valuable product over time.

Persons: Ray Ban, Jim Cramer, Bing, Ray, Meta, Jim Cramer's, Jim, Mark Zuckerberg, Josh Edelson Organizations: Meta's, Meta, EssilorLuxottica, Apple, Microsoft, JMP Securities, CNBC, AFP, Getty Locations: Menlo Park , California

REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo License this content on Reuters ConnectNEW YORK, Aug 1 (Reuters) - LensCrafters agreed to pay $39 million to settle a lawsuit by prescription eyeglass customers who accused the eyewear chain of misleading them about how well its Accufit technology could measure their eyes. Customers said the claims were false because LensCrafters' manufacturing processes did not support its claims, and that an update would not be clinically significant. They claimed to pay more for their glasses than if LensCrafters had not overpromised and underdelivered. The settlement covers all U.S. customers of LensCrafters who since Sept. 5, 2013, bought prescription glasses after being fitted with Accufit. LensCrafters said it operates 955 stores in 49 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, with no stores in Wyoming.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, LensCrafters, Accufit, Allegra et, Jonathan Stempel, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: EssilorLuxottica SA, REUTERS, Reuters, Customers, D.C, Retail, Court, Eastern District of, Thomson Locations: Manhattan , New York City, U.S, Brooklyn, New York , California, Florida, Washington, Puerto Rico, Wyoming, Paris, Charenton, Pont, America, Eastern District, Eastern District of New York, New York

☆ Morning Bid: Earnings, China hold spotlight ahead of big rates decisions
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A look at the day ahead in European and global markets from Tom WestbrookEarnings and hope for a turning in China's markets are the prelude to this week's big central bank decisions. The corporate performance and outlook risk disappointing markets that are increasingly priced for a "soft-landing" slowdown in both growth and inflation. In the Asia session investors cheered pledges of support in the readout from an earlier-than-expected Politburo meeting in China -- though not too loudly. The Eurozone bank lending survey is also out on Tuesday and can give a view on the health of borrowing ahead of Fed and European Central Bank meetings, which are both expected to deliver rate hikes. The yen was steady in Asia as investors weigh whether the Bank of Japan will tweak policy on Friday.

Persons: Tom Westbrook, Robert Half, Archer, Daniel Midlands, Morgan Stanley, Dalian Wanda, Sam Holmes Organizations: Microsoft, Google, Visa, General Electric, Dow, chipmaker Texas, Unilever, Shanghai, Traders, Dalian, Fed, European Central Bank, Bank of Japan, EssilorLuxottica, Texas Instruments, Verizon, General Motors, ADM, Spotify, Thomson Locations: United States, London, Paris, Asia, China, Hong Kong

☆ Analysis: China rebound buoys hopes for stronger-than-expected US, Europe earnings
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Joice Alves | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

But recent data and upbeat comments from major companies like LVMH (LVMH.PA), Europe's most valuable listed company, about business in China have given investors some cause for optimism. Refinitiv I/B/E/S data points to a 2.5% decline in earnings growth in the first quarter for STOXX 600 (.STOXX) companies, down from a forecast for 5.4% growth prior to the banking chaos. Europe is headed for a recession too, the data shows, with a drop in earnings of 5.4% expected in the second quarter. But stubbornly high inflation means major central banks are expected to continue to hike rates, at least in May. European financials are expected to report first-quarter earnings growth of 31%, according to Refinitiv.

☆ Luxury stocks are on a tear and now there's an index to follow the 1%
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Bob Pisani | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Luxury stocks are on a tear, and they are pulling away from the other 99% of the world. Birinyi Associates sees an opportunity. LVMH is the largest luxury firm in the world. Rubin and Birinyi have created two new indexes to monitor all this money: the "1% Index" that consists of 16 luxury stocks, and the "99% Index" made up of 18 stocks that is, well, where the rest of us shops. Since the beginning of April, the 99% is making a comeback: The 1% vs. the 99% (since April 1) 1% index: + 3% 99% index: + 12% Source: Birinyi Associates What's happening?

☆ Ray-Ban maker EssilorLuxottica's sales rise on solid European growth
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 23 (Reuters) - Luxury eyewear maker EssilorLuxottica (ESLX.PA) on Thursday reported a rise in fourth-quarter revenues, citing sound growth amid a challenging environment, but its performance in China declined because of COVID-19 restrictions. The maker of Oakley and Ray-Ban sunglasses posted a 9.4% rise in revenues to 6.11 billion euros ($6.49 billion) in the final quarter of the year at current exchange rates. The French-Italian eyewear group said Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) was its best performing region in the quarter due to solid sales growth in France, Italy, Spain, the UK and Scandinavia. Sales in the region grew 6.2% at constant exchange rates to 2.09 billion euros. ($1 = 0.9416 euros)Reporting by Jagoda Darlak; editing by Shri Navaratnam and Sonali PaulOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ EssilorLuxottica signs 10-year licensing agreement with Swarovski
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] A logo of EssilorLuxottica exhibition space is displayed at SILMO in Villepinte, near Paris, France September 24, 2022. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File PhotoDec 6 (Reuters) - EssilorLuxottica (ESLX.PA) signed an exclusive licensing agreement with Swarovski Eyewear, the Franco-Italian eyewear maker said on Tuesday. "We have always seen each pair of frames as a piece of art to be worn, which makes Swarovski and its story such a wonderful fit," Francesco Milleri, chairman and CEO of EssilorLuxottica said in a statement, expressing his excitement for the "journey with Swarovski". The agreement, which Swarovski's CEO Alexis Nasard said is in line with the jewels maker's LUXignite strategy, will be effective until the end of 2028, with an automatic renewal option for additional five years. Reporting by Piotr Lipinski in Gdansk, Editing by Louise HeavensOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Italy's Cucinelli and EssilorLuxottica sign eyewear license accord
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Gabriel Araujo | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Glasses manufactured by EssilorLuxottica, stand on display in their exhibition space at SILMO in Villepinte, near Paris, France September 24, 2022. REUTERS/Benoit TessierMILAN, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Brunello Cucinelli (BCU.MI) signed an exclusive license deal with French-Italian glasses maker EssilorLuxottica (ESLX.PA) for the design, manufacture and distribution of eyewear under the Italian luxury group's brand, the two companies said in a statement on Monday. The new ten-year agreement will be effective from next January, while the first collection of glasses will be launched in the first quarter of 2024. The deal is an extension of the current collaboration between the two firms that began in 2021, including a capsule collection signed by Brunello Cucinelli and EssilorLuxottica's exclusive brand Oliver Peoples, they added. Reporting by Cristina Carlevaro editing by Federico MaccioniOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Warby Parker, once online-only eyeglasses retailer, plans hundreds of more stores
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Barbara Collins | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Fighting back against these high price tags, Warby Parker marketed their frames, including lenses, starting at $95. Warby Parker works with more than 100 optometrists across the country and is making large investments into in-person exams. In 2019, more than 60% of Warby Parker transactions were taking place in-store. Gilboa said the optical labs allow Warby Parker to have tighter quality control, faster turnaround times and higher margins. Warby Parker first made its stock market debut in September 2021 through a direct listing as opposed to an IPO.

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